Depending on the circumstances, using profanity or offensive hand gestures may cause serious problems for you. In some parts of the country,you could be charged with disturbing the peace or violating a local profanity law. At school, you could be suspended or disciplined with an after-school detention or additional homework. Your parents may be called and told of the incident.
On the lighter side, Sister Kathy Avery is the principal of St. Clare Catholic School in Michigan. She doesn’t allow words like “boring” and “stupid” at school and has zero tolerance for any swear words. At an assembly after school in November, 2007 she made it clear to fifth to eighth-graders what was forbidden - she read off a list of the words and phrases so that the kids clearly understood which words to avoid. Some parents were shocked that she actually said the words, while others applauded her approach.
